Knife adjustment control means for a shear machine



Dec. 29, 1964 E. w. PEARSON ETAL 3,163,072

KNIFE ADJUSTMENT CONTROL MEANS FOR A SHEAR MACHINE Filed June 6. 1960 3Sheets-Sheet 1 1 INVENTOR. n E U6E/VE W- PEARSON ggLLA/VD H.RICHAROJOIVms Arron/vars Dec. 29, 1964 E. w. PEARSON ETAL 3,163,072

KNIFE ADJUSTMENT CONTROL. MEANS FOR A SHEAR MACHINE Filed June 6, 1960 3Sheets-Sheet 2 HIS ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 E. w. PEARSON ETAL 3,163,072

KNIFE ADJUSTMENT CONTROL MEANS FOR A SHEAR MACHINE Filed June 6, 1960 3Sheets-Sheet 3 I07T I IN V EN TOR.

HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,163,072 KNIFE ABJUSTMENT CDNTRGLMEANS FOR A SHEAR MACHINE Eugene W. Pearson, Grinds, and Rolland A.Richardson,

Alameda, Caiif., assignors to Pacific Indushial Manufacturing Co., acorporation of California Filed June 6, 1960, Ser. No. 34,005 3 Claims.(Cl. 83-639) Our invention relates to a shear or like machine and moreparticularly to knife adjustment control means for the fixed knife ofsuch a machine.

The present invention is an improvement on the subject matter of thepatent for Ledger Blade Adjustment Means for Shear Machine, No.2,939,358, scheduled to issue on June 7, 1960.

Among the objects of our invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved control means for adjustment of thefixed knife of a shear machine;

(2) To provide a novel and improved control means for adjustment of thefixed knife of a shear machine, whereby the knife adjustment iscontrolled with power normally available in such machine;

(3) To provide a novel and improved control means for adjustment of thefixed knife of a shear machine, whereby the knife adjustment iscontrolled hydraulically; and

(4) To provide novel and improved control means for adjustment of thefixed knife of a shear machine, whereby the control means utilizes anotherwise prevailing hydraulic circuit in such machine for its source ofpower.

Additional objects of our invention will be brought out in the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunctionvn'th the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view in elevation of a shear machine with the knifeadjustment control means of the present invention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is an end view in elevation of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in section through a two-way piston drive connectioninvolved in the knife adjustment control means of the present invention;and

FIG. 4 is a view depicting an otherwise prevailing hydraulic circuit ina shear machine and depicting the manner in which such circuit may beutilized in the knife adjustment control means of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings for details of our invention in its preferredform, the same is shown incorporated in a hydraulically powered shearmachine comprising a frame 1 involving a pair of spaced side walls 3 and5, each formed with a relatively deep throat 7 in the front edgethereof.

Adjoining the side walls along the front edges below the throats, is afront wall 9 constituting a component of a work table assembly in whichthe table 11 extends outwardly from the front wall along its upper edge.The front wall and table at the junction therof, is recessed to receivea fixed or stationary knife 15 of substantial length, approaching thespacing between the side walls of the frame.

The front edge portions of the side walls above the throat are set backsomewhat to permit of supporting a ram 17 which carries the upper ormovable knife 19 of the machine in proper relationship to the fixed orstationary knife 15.

The operating movements of the ram are controlled hydraulically in themachine under consideration by including a left cylinder assembly 33 anda right cylinder assembly 35, each fixed to the upper front edge of oneof the side walls of the machine housing and coupled $353,972 PatentedDec. 29, 1964 ice to the ram. Thus each end of the ram will be poweredby one of the cylinder assemblies.

The work to be sheared is held to the work table by hold-down meansinvolving a plurality of hydraulically operated pistons 37 housed incylinders 38 mounted on a crossbeam 39 in front of the ram.

The front wall 9 of the table assembly is mounted on an angle of theorder of 30 degrees with the vertical, preferably by extending the sidewalls of the machine to the front thereof and terminating them at theproper angle to present sloping front edges 40 for supporting the frontwall at the corresponding angle. With the table it. at a complementaryangle of the order of 60 degrees to the front wall, the table is rigidlymaintained in its horizontal position by gussets 43 and connecting wall44 welded into position between the front wall and the table.

The front wall is adapted for sliding adjustment along the supportingfront edges 4t) of theside walls to provide for a resulting lateralcomponent of adjustment of the fixed knife 15, whereby to realize properspacing between the fixed knife and the movable knife during a slicingor shearing operation, the particular adjustment desired depending uponthe type and thickness of material to be sheared. Such slidingadjustment of the front wall along the sloping supponting edges of theside walls, is made possible by providing on each sloping edge 40, anabutment lug 45, and adjacent each end of the front wall providing aslot 46 of a size to loosely receive the abutment log of its associatedsupporting wall, the slot, being of sufficiently greater length than theabutment lug to permit of sliding adjustment of the table assembly onthe sloping edges of the supporting walls and terminating at its upperend in a circular enlargement to provide an arcuate edge 47 at this endof the slot.

Actual adjustments of the table assembly are accomplished by positioningbetween the upper end of each slot and its associated abutment lug,wedge means 49 for altering the spacing between the two. Such wedgemeans may include a bearing pad 51 having a circular edge providing acomplementary fit with the upper arcuate end of the slot, a bearingblock 53 resting against the abutment end of the lug 45, and anintermediate wedge 55 slidably disposed between the two. On the bearingpad 51 may be afiixed, a scale plate 57 while affixed to the wedge 55 isa cooperating pointer or indicator 59 adapted to travel along the scalewith movements of the wedge, to indicate the horizontal spacingadjustment of the proximate end of the fixed knife relative to themovable knife.

The present invention is concerned primarily with the knife adjustingcontrol means for actuating the wedge 55 at each end of the front wallto effect adjustments at each end of the fixed knife 15.

Affixed to each edge of the front wall 9 adjacent the wedge means, is aflanged cylinder 65 housing a piston 67 having a piston rod 6? :slidablyextending through the mounting end of the cylinder through suitablesealing means 71, and coupled to the wedge 55.

Such coupling may be effected by providing in the wedge, a lateralT-groove for receiving a substantially correspondingly shaped head 73 onthe end of the piston rod 69, the said head having preferably aspherically contoured front edge to provide space for the reception of acomplementary spherical surfaced shim 75 tominimize end play in thecoupling connection between the piston rod 69 and the wedge 55 whileaccommodating the coupling to probable slight misalignment between thecoupled elements in use.

The cylinder is provided with a hose or pipe fitting to either side ofthe maximum permissible range of movement of the piston 67, for thecoupling of a hose or pipe to to provide flow connections 76 and 77 tothe cylinder so as to enable control of movement of the piston in eitherdirection.

Threaded through the opposite end of the cylinder is an adjusting screw79 having a handle or handwheel 31 on its exposed end, the function ofsuch screw being to adjustably limit movement of the piston in thedirection of withdrawal of the Wedge.

Toward this purpose, the piston is provided with a tail extension 83 inthe direction of the adjusting screw, such extension passing through adouble Q-ring seal in a partition 87 across the cylinder to precludeleakage at this end. Any adjustment of the adjusting screw may besecured against shift by a locking handle 91 threaded on the exposedportion of the adjusting screw and adapted to be run down the threadinto pressure engagement with the end of the cylinder to effect suchlocking.

To permit of operation of the two-way piston drive at each end of thefront Wall, whereby each end of the fixed knife may be selectivelyadjusted, We provide means for utilizing an otherwise existing hydrauliccircuit in the machine whereby such circuit may be interrupted during anon-functioning period of the machine, and selectively connectedtoeither of the twoway piston drive connections and for either directionof movement of the piston therein.

For illustrative purpose, We have selected a por ion of the hydraulicsystem illustrated and described in a co-pending application for ShearMachine With Adjustable Ram, Serial No. 704,923, filed December 24,1957, now abandoned, the pertinent portion of which relates to a circuitfor controlling movement of the hold-down pistons 37.

Such cir uit involves a motor driven pump 9 having a suction line 99leading from a tank lt l constituting a source of liquid, and adischarge line 103 leading to the hold-down cylinders with a branch line1% to a solenoid operated dump valve adapted when energized, to connectthe hold-down means to the tank and permit retraction of the hold-downpistons 37.

Associating this circuit with the how connections 7% and '77 to each ofthe two-way piston drive cylinders, are a pair of manually controllablereversing valves ill, each having a three positional adjustment. Anintermediate or neutral positional adjustment insofar as it relates tothe associated two-Way piston drive connection, provides a through flowor by-pass passage 113 for inclusion the hydraulic circuit to thehold-down cylinders, such through flow passage including a check valvellfi permitting flow in the direction from the pump to the hole-downcylinders. These through flow passages of the reversing valves areconnected in series and included in the circuit from the pump to thehydraulic hold-down cylinders.

Each of the two remaining positional adjustments of each reversing valveprovides for disconnection of the prevailing circuit to the hold-d owncylinders and the coupling to the pump '37 and to the tank 191, of thehydraulic connections 76 and 7? to the associated cylinder of thetwo-way piston drive. Depending on the directional adjustment of thereversing valve, the piston controlled thereby may be driven in onedirection or the other.

An overload valve 117 in a circuit connecting the pum discharge back tothe tank, constitutes an emergency circuit ltO avoid overloading of thesystem.

From the foregoing description of our invention in its preferred form,it will be apparent that the same fulfills the objects of our invention,and while We have illustrated and described the same in considerabledetail, the invention is subject to alteration and modification withoutdeparting from the underlying principles involved, and we accordingly donot desire to be limited in our protection to the specific detailsillustrated and described, except as may be necessitated by the appendedclaims.

We claim:

1. In a shear machine or the like involving a vertically cooperating asubstantially horizonstantial length, a horizontal work movable knifetal fixed knife table provided suh an upper Work surface substantiallywith the .pper surface of said fixed knife, a hydraulic circuitincluding a power source, for operating components of said machine, andmeans for adjustably supporting said work table and fixed k including amachine frame having side Walls extending to the front of said machineand terminating in lower front edges inclined at angle to the vertical,a front wall spanning said inclined edges slidably supported thereon,said front wall carrying said table and fixed knife, and wedge means ateach end of said front wall including a movable Wedge for slidahlyadjusting the proximate end of said front wall along the associateinclined edge; a two-way piston drive connection to each of said wedges,each of said drive connections including a cylinder affixed to one ofsaid wall at a point adjacent a wedge to be actuated, a piston in saidcylinder having a connecting rod extending from one end of said cylinderand connected to said wedge, a flow connection to said cylinder toeither side of said piston, and means for interrupting said hydrauliccircuit and selectively connecting said power source to either of saidtwo-way piston drive connections and for either direction of movement ofthe piston therein.

2. In a shear machine or the like involving a vertically movable knifecooperating with a substantial horizontal fixed knife of substantiallength, a horizontal work table provided with an upper Work surfacesubstantially flush with the upper surface of said fixed knife, ahydraulic circuit including a power source, for operating components ofsaid machine, and means for adjustably supporting said work table andfixed knife, including a machine frame having side walls extending tothe front of said machine and terminating in lower front edges inclinedat an angle to the vertical, a front Wall spanning said inclined edgesand slidably supported thereon, said front wall carrying said table andfixed knife, and wedge means at each end of said front wall including amovable wedge for slidably adjusting the proximate end of said frontWall along the associate inclined edge; a two-way piston driveconnection to each of said wedges, each of said drive connectionsincluding a cylinder affixed to one of said walls at a point adjacent awedge to be actuated, a piston in said cylinder having a connecting rodextending from one end of said cylinder and connected to said wedge, aflow connection to said cylinder to either side of said piston, andmeans for interrupting said hydraulic circuit and selectively connectingsaid power source to either of said two-way piston drive connections andfor either direction of movement of the piston therein, said meansincluding a pair of manually controlled reversing valves, one for eachof said pistons and each reversing valve having a neutral position as toits associated piston, provided with a through iiow passage in saidhydraulic circuit in series with the through fiow passage of the otherreversing valve, said hydraulic circuit being interruptible by operationof either of said valves from its neutral position.

3. In a shear machine or the like involving a vertically movable knifecooperating with a substantially horizontal fixed knife of substantiallength, a horizontal work table provided with an upper work surfacesubstantially flush with the upper surface of said fixed knife, ahydraulic circuit including a power source, for operating components ofsaid machine, and means for adjustably supporting said work table andfixed knife, including a machine frame having side walls extending tothe front of said machine and terminating in lower front edges inclinedat an angle to the vertical, a front Wall spanning said inclined edgesand slidably supported thereon, said front wall carrying said table andfixed knife, and wedge means at each end of said front wall including amovable wedge for slidably adjusting the proximate end of said frontWall along the associate inclined edge; a two-way piston driveconnection to each of said wedges, each of said drive connectionsincluding a cylinder affixed to one of said walls at a point adjacent awedge to be actuated, a piston in said cylinder having a connecting rodextending from one end of said cylinder and connected to said Wedge, aflow connection to said cylinder to either side of said piston, meansfor adjustably limiting the extent of movement of said piston in thedirection or" withdrawing said wedge, said means including an adjustingscrew through the opposite end of said cylinder in line with said pistonrod and a locking handle threadedly mounted on said screw externally ofsaid cylinder and adapted to abut the proximate end of said cylinder andlock said adjusting screw, and means for interrupting said hydrauliccircuit and selectively connecting said power source to either of saidtwo-Way piston drive connections and for either direction of movement ofthe piston therein, said means including a pair of manually controlledreversing valves, one for each of said pistons and each reversing valveReferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS594,019 Iefieries Nov. 23, 1897 625,289 Christie May 16, 1899 2,247,141Twyman June 24-, 1941 2,314,041 Gurries Mar. 16, 1943 2,610,022 MeddockSept. 9, 1952 2,939,358 Pearson June 7, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 532,781Italy Sept. 1, 1955

1. IN A SHEAR MACHINE OR THE LIKE INVOLVING A VERTICALLY MOVABLE KNIFECOOPERATING WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL FIXED KNIFE OF SUBSTANTIALLENGTH, A HORIZONTAL WORK TABLE PROVIDED WITH AN UPPER WORK SURFACESUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID FIXED KNIFE, AHYDRAULIC CIRCUIT INCLUDING A POWER SOURCE, FOR OPERATING COMPONENTS OFSAID MACHINE, AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTING SAID WORK TABLE ANDFIXED KNIFE, INCLUDING A MACHINE FRAME HAVING SIDE WALLS EXTENDING TOTHE FRONT OF SAID MACHINE AND TERMINATING IN LOWER FRONT EDGES INCLINEDAT AN ANGLE TO THE VERTICAL, A FRONT WALL SPANNING SAID INCLINED EDGESAND SLIDABLY SUPPORTED THEREON, SAID FRONT WALL CARRYING SAID TABLE ANDFIXED KNIFE, AND WEDGE MEANS AT EACH END OF SAID FRONT WALL INCLUDING AMOVABLE